LG Dishwasher Won’t Start? Here’s How to Fix It

If your LG dishwasher won’t start, this guide will help you find the cause so you can fix it. Simply start with step one and work your way through the guide until you’ve successfully gotten your dishwasher working again.

The following models of LG dishwasher are covered by this guide:

LDF6810BB

LDF6810ST

LDF6810ST/01

LDF6810WW

LDF6920BB

LDF6920ST

LDF6920WW

LDF7551ST

LDF7774ST

LDF7810BB

LDF7810ST

LDF7810WW

LDF7811BB

LDF7811ST

LDF7932ST

LDS4821BB

LDS4821ST

LDS4821WW

LDS5540ST

LDS5811ST

LDS5811WW

Step 1 – Test the power

If your LG dishwasher isn’t starting, the best place to start is to check that it’s getting power. If your dishwasher is turning on but isn’t working, you can skip down to step 2.

Here’s how to test the power:

1. Locate your household fuse box and make sure the circuit breaker that supplies power to your dishwasher is turned on. If not, switch it on.
2. If the circuit breaker is turned on but your dishwasher isn’t working, try to plug your dishwasher into a different power outlet. If it works, the circuit breaker and maybe the socket will need to be repaired or replaced.
3. If the dishwasher still doesn’t work in a separate power outlet, you can move on to step 2.

Step 2 – Check the door latch

If your dishwasher turns on but doesn’t start, test the door latch. When the door is closed, the door latch makes sure the door cannot open when your dishwasher is running. If it becomes defective, the door won’t be able to close, and your dishwasher won’t be able to start.

Here’s how to check the door latch:

1. Close the dishwasher door.
2. Check if the door is properly closed. If the door cannot fully close, the door latch will need to be replaced. If fine, proceed to step 3.
3. If you replace the door latch, check once it’s installed if the dishwasher now works. If not, proceed to step 3.

Step 3 – Test the door switch

If the door latch is fine, you’ll need to check the door switch. The door switch is an electrical component that makes sure the door is closed while your dishwasher is running. If it becomes defective your dishwasher won’t start.

Here’s how to test the door switch:

1. Turn the power off to your LG dishwasher.
2. Find the door switch and remove it from your dishwasher (if you’re not sure where it is check your user manual).
3. Once the switch has been removed, use a multimeter to test the switch for continuity.
4. If faulty, replace it. If it’s working correctly, move on to step 4.
5. As soon as the new switch has been installed, check if your LG dishwasher is now working. If not, proceed to step 4.

Step 4 – Test the thermal fuse

The purpose of the thermal fuse in your LG dishwasher is to turn your dishwasher off if it starts to overheat. If the fuse blows or becomes defective, your dishwasher won’t be able to start.

Checking the thermal fuse requires doing a multi-meter test, which you can do by:

1. Make sure the power is switched off to your LG dishwasher.
2. Find the thermal fuse and remove it from your dishwasher (if you’re not sure where it is check your user manual).
3. Once the thermal fuse has been removed, use a multimeter to test the fuse for continuity.
4. If faulty, replace it. If it’s working correctly, move on to step 5.
5. As soon as the new thermal fuse has been installed, check if your LG dishwasher is now working. If not, proceed to step 5.

Step 5 – Test the touchpad and control panel

The next step is to test the touchpad and control panel to ensure they are working correctly. If not, they may need to be replaced before your dishwasher will start working again.

Here’s how to test the touchpad and control panel:

1. Press down all the buttons on your touchpad. If one or multiple buttons don’t work the touchpad will most likely need to be replaced. If the touchpad is working correctly you can proceed to step 6.
2. Before replacing the touchpad unit you can test the control panel with a multimeter to ensure it is faulty. Sometimes, wires can become loose, which stops the control board and touchpad from working. This can be rectified by replacing the wiring.
3. If you do install a new touchpad unit, check if doing so has made your dishwasher start working again. If not, proceed to step 6.

Step 6 – Test the timer

If you still haven’t found the cause of your LG dishwasher not starting, the sixth step in our guide is to test the timer. The timer is in your dishwasher to make sure voltage gets sent to the right components in your dishwasher at the right times during a wash cycle. If the timer becomes defective, your dishwasher won’t work properly or not at all. 

Here’s how to test the timer:

1. Make sure the power is switched off to your LG dishwasher.
2. Find the timer and remove it from your dishwasher (if you’re not sure where it is, check your user manual).
3. Once the timer has been removed, use a multimeter to test the timer for continuity.
4. If faulty, replace it. If it’s working correctly, move on to step 7.
5. As soon as the new timer has been installed, check if your LG dishwasher is now working. If not, proceed to step 7.

Step 7 – Replace the main control board

Your final option if you still haven’t found the cause of your LG dishwasher not working is to replace the main control board. The main control board is difficult to test and repair, so the best option is to just replace it completely. However, given the cost of buying a new control board and the uncertainty that replacing it will make your dishwasher work again, you might decide the better option is to purchase a new dishwasher.